Iditarod Dreams

The Iditarod makes me cry--especially watching the ending at Front Street in Nome, Alaska. (they show this live on TV in Alaska).
But I do not cry out of sadness for the doggies or something like that. No, I cry because the Iditarod sled dog race--1,000 miles through remote Alaskan wilderness is just so incredible. These mushers don't sleep, get hit by trees, suffer broken bones & illness--some of the most adventurous athletes I have ever seen.
And the craziness of the trail--moose, wolves, half frozen rivers, -40 degree temperatures. It's so wild and primitive. And just about 70 humans a year try this sort of thing.
Compare that to the millions upon millions sitting at their desks , sipping coffee, driving a Honda home after work to watch CSI on TV--that's about as adventurous as most Americans get.
But here is this great sled dog race-- completely wild and difficult. It touches my heart that dreamers everywhere can still pursue this sort of crazy challenge--that everything hasn't been made boring and safe. And one can still dream of a wild and beautiful world.....

Why do Sled Dogs Keep Running???

I know there are quite a few animal groups out there that despise the really long Alaskan sled dog races--like the Yukon Quest and Iditarod. Mostly because these crazy races have dogs running about 1,000 miles in approximately 10 days. The leader's dogs often only sleep about 7 hours per day and run almost 17 daily. That is nuts!

It is true that dogs get injured (but so do almost all the humans), and that their lungs take a toll (as do human marathon racers). And their paws need constant ointment and booties to keep going....so the question is:-- is this some kind of dog abuse?

Some make the claim--"well the dogs didn't volunteer for the race-- the humans make them do it." But I ask: what dog anywhere really has a choice about anything?? (except for one of my nutty dogs that wandered in from the street as a stray, refused to leave and is now our dog!) I mean, does any dog request to be a latch-key dog--left alone in a crate for 9 hours while their owners toil at work??

And then some people keep up the old notion that the dogs are whipped to keep going. Nice try--used to happen (that's the truth) but so many people now watch the race & times have changed that you really couldn't get away with it....

So why do these doggies run like this??? Well I think I have the answer--simply because I have a crazy Alaskan sled dog at home.

She is the weirdest thing ever. Somewhat feral & wild. Obsessed with competition and pack order. She always tries to show off and would never say no to a sprint race . She stays up for days on end if we are on a road trip...always excited about more excitement. We know this crazy animal would run until she dies--it is in her blood.

Not only does she love the spirit of competition, she wants to do whatever the "alpha" wants to do. Not to please him I think, but just to be like him. So as long as the musher is awake and the dogs know what they need to do--they will keep on running...these are not the same dogs you find in the lower 48, they can't be compared.

The Snowmachine and the Dog

The big news in the world of sled dog racing is Lance Mackeys recent encounter with a snow machine near Nome, Alaska. (In Alaska snow mobiles are called snow machines) His most prized racing pooch, Zorro, has been seriously injured.
The obvious issue is how and when to mandate limitations of snow machine use near sled dog races and this is causing some spirited arguments. In effect: who owns the trails- the local residents on their machines or the "visiting mushers". Then all sorts of venom gets spewed about drunks, racing, common courtesy, safety, etc...Obviously at least attention has been brought to this issue. Some defend the locals right to zoom around in the middle of the night (Mackeys dog was hit around midnight) But where in the world are they going that is so important at that time & why can't the sled dogs take temporary priority?? In my opinion, nighttime use is the primary concern.
The other interesting topic that stems from this controversy is why do so many people become so concerned over an injured sled dog?? Here in Alaska it was front page news, so of course some sour-pusses needed to point out that everyone cries over a dog, but ignores all the suffering of human kind blah, blah....
So I put some thought into this. It is no secret that people often have more sympathy towards animals than humans, so what gives? I have two theories.
One is that animals are perceived as innocent victims, subject to all of our "top of the food chain" nonsense, so we naturally throw some additional empathy their way.
Second theory: there are BILLIONS of human beings on this earth. Just too many for our little heads to even begin and sympathize with. Meanwhile, so many animals are rare and in limited supply. Like in Alaska: 8,000 wolves vs. 600,000 residents, which is more interesting from a rarity point of view? Same goes for whales or sled dogs, just not that many around, which increases our interest. Again, these are just my theories...

Iditarod Dog Days are Ending

The top ten mushers of the Iditarod sled dog race have already crossed the finish line in Nome today. So the last great race is coming to an end, although it will take many more days for the final dog teams to wrap it up.
I am blessed that in Alaska they show about an hour of news coverage (twice this time!) of the crowds in Nome waiting for the mushers, the final sprint to victory and then interviews with the winner. As I do every year, I sat glued to the TV as the crowds cheered Lance Mackey, the governor made the ceremonial congratulatory phone call and the media jumped up and down. Meanwhile, the dogs looked pretty joyous as well and Mackey's dogs kept licking the frozen snot off his whiskers during the interviews--good stuff.
I wondered to myself-- why in the world does watching this race, and the excitement it creates, such an incredible experience for me???
So I have come to the conclusion that this great sled dog race (the one so many animal groups actually hates) represents everything I love about Alaska and why I am here. So many Alaskans come here for jobs, family or marriage, but we came here for Alaska alone. I wanted to see adventure and unique experiences and that's what the Iditarod is.
From the beginning in Anchorage when they squeeze over 1,000 dogs into downtown, to the news reports from quirky and remote Native villages, to reliving the drama of the hazards that I read about years ago in "Winterdance".
It is so very unique and Alaska's own.
I don't know why I can't enjoy what the masses do, why do I only seek the other? How come I hate Sam's Club and CSI and block buster movies?? Why don't I care about Steve Madden shoes, Applebees or Gucci bags?
This bizarre and crazy sled dog race is simply my version of the Super bowl. May they mush on!

The Howl of the Iditarod Sled Dog

It's that time of year again, the Last Great Race, commonly known as the Iditarod. Personally, I love following the race and the travails of the mushers. We always watch the teams line up before heading on their journey to Nome. It's quite exciting to cheer on the howling dogs and their brave human counter parts.

What's funny is that there are quite a few animal lovers out there that can't stand the sport of sled dog racing. In my opinion these fears and concerns are sometimes misguided and not really based on seeing the dogs run.

Some of the common misconceptions I have heard:

1- The dogs are forced to run. Does any dog owner really feel they can force their dog to do anything?? And no, the dogs are never, ever beaten. Teams sometime do "quit" and the musher has no choice but to withdraw from the race.

2- The dogs health is compromised. Actually, this is one point where animal rights groups did help convince Iditarod officials to carefully monitor the dogs health. These days the dogs are checked over by vets continuously--but the humans are left to bleed, lack sleep & run with broken bones. Dogs are "dropped" from the race continuously, which actually upsets the dogs--they want to keep running! Plus, to keep their stamina up the dogs are fed amazing treats: like fresh steak and salmon.

3- Dogs sometimes die. Yes, it's an unfortunate truth. I think about 2 dogs die during the race each year. But put this in perspective--80 teams with 16 dogs each is 1,280 dogs!!! Professional human athletes die during training, or even the average Joe can have a heart attack when shoveling snow. Don't even get me started about dogs dying, because there are so many dogs dying globally each day--being eaten in China or beaten in other nations. Have you ever seen the emancipated dogs wandering around South America ?

4- The mushers do it for money. Ha. Even when mushers do win the bigger prizes, they barely ever even break even. The cost of feeding your team all year, fixing sleds & dog trucks, getting to competitions, entry fees and food drops all add up to quite a sum. Mushers are usually dreamers and dog lovers. They do it because it is an enchanting lifestyle and they love being around their dogs.

5- Sled dogs have a lousy life, tied to dog houses or transported in dog trucks. Well to honestly answer this one, you would have to ask the dogs. If dogs around the world were administered surveys-- would they say they prefer to get fat on the couch? Be homeless vagabonds? Or live in snow country as a sled dog?? I don't know. I do know these dogs love to run and they usually get to run every day, even in the summer.

We adopted a sled dog mix from the pound and her need to run is maddening! Even if some think it's wrong to breed these runners, I think it's wrong to breed cockapoodles or whatever those funny looking lap dogs are. When mushers do breed extra dogs, most folks are happy to take a good sled dog off their hands.

Lastly, I don't know how many people know that the "modern" Iditarod race (not the serum run) came about to encourage the dying tradition of dog mushing in Native villages. This is a sport that gives people pride. It is a solemn tradition that was threatened by the popularity of noisy, gas guzzling snowmobiles. If there is one thing that meshes well with the serenity of the wilderness, it is a sled dog team trotting through the snow, not its modern replacement the snowmachine...